This Looks Familiar: Brannon's Site Lifts Passages

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Greg Brannon’s campaign plagiarized several passages on his website. This marks the second time Brannon’s campaign has lifted content.

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At issue is how Brannon describes his stance on issues on his campaign website. The website Buzzfeed pointed out several examples Wednesday in which Brannon lifts several passages from the campaign site of Michigan Congressman Justin Amash.

Take the environment. Brannon’s site said:

The best way to protect the environment is through enforcement of property rights and sound economic policy.

That sentence is nearly identical to what Amash says on his site. The only difference is that Amash says “pursuit” of sound economic policy.

There are many more examples of similarities regarding stances on agriculture, national defense, health care and abortion. A Facebook post of Brannon’s on war powers also strongly resembles a 2002 column by a writer for the conservative Cato Institute think tank.

Brannon campaign manager Reilly O’Neil declined to speak on tape. Instead, he emailed a statement from Brannon that says:

"My website was created over a year ago, and while I agree with every word I was unaware until now of this problem. We have already fixed the passages."

In addition, O’Neill say this is “old news,” and that “I would hope that WFAE holds themselves at a higher standard than some of the ridiculous stuff that comes out of Buzzfeed.”

This is the second time that Brannon’s campaign has been caught plagiarizing. In November, the New York Times found several examples of Brannon’s website having the same language as the 2010 campaign website for Kentucky U.S. Sen. Rand Paul.